Interview with a GM on security

[Verye]

That information is not 100% correct.

A lot of it is, though.

Keep in mind that many entry-level GMs do not know that much.

1. Blizz monitors the AH pretty frequently. Auctions with large amounts of gold are flagged, and these flagged auctions (usually for common or junk items with high high buyouts) are checked by monitoring GM's. If it looks fishy, its flagged for ban.

True. They do this to help crack down on gold selling companies. Keep in mind that you are allowed to put items on the AH at any price you like; they're just looking for patterns that seem like gold buying/selling. Selling items at an inflated price is not against the rules.

2. Blizz monitors your mail almost more than the AH. Reason being: if they miss your gold buying auction, they can catch it in your mail. They look for low levels sending mass amounts of gold to a higher level player.

True. They honestly do actively try and stop gold selling/buying activities.

*A lot of it seems to be timing. If you can get the auction off quickly, or out of mail quickly, then it goes unnoticed*

Might muddy up the investigation but certainly doesn't necessarily get someone off scot-free just because you buy an auction item or accept gold in the mail quickly.

3. Warden is constantly updated. They rarely release information regarding it in any patch notes or media. Currently, it scans for abnormalities in WoW's key files and folders, and checks for "flagged botting files and folders", and checks WTF and cache. He didn't know more than this.

It is constantly updated. The keys thing...that's a tough one. It may check your keys, but I really doubt it'll flag your account just because you have a certain key set.

4. The typical WoW user is given three "allowances" on accidentally sold items. This does depend on whether you get a nice GM, and whether or not a glitch was involved in the items loss.

True, but the attitude of the GM does not really matter in a case like this.

5. If a player submits requests for lost or missing items 3x or more in a week, that user is flagged and monitored for scamming, a next offense likely leads to a ban.

100% true.

6. Hand to hand gold or item transfers are extremely difficult for Blizz to monitor, and thus are only investigated if they get numerous reports.
I do not believe a GM told you this. Either you misunderstood or you're lying. In fact, I doubt a GM would tell you a lot of these things, especially this and the Warden thing.

Blizzard investigates everything if you provide enough detail. Doesn't matter if there are numerous reports.

7. A GM can either give you an in-game warning and investigate, or they have the choice to escalate the incident, in which case an email will be sent and sentence carried out. Regardless.

True, but sometimes they have to escalate things.

8. Permanently banned accounts are irretrievable, and users with temporary bans are monitored by GM's after. Any subsequent incidents will likely lead to a permanent ban.

Pretty much true, but using my unban method, you can get permanently closed accounts unbanned.

9. GM's are typically assigned a battlegroup now instead of individual servers alone. They are responsible for the monitoring, call answering, and any known issues for the realms in that battle group. At any given time, at least 10 GM's are assigned to a battlegroup. He wasn't sure how often they were monitored.

GMs were never assigned to individual servers. From the beginning, GMs were assigned to multiple servers.

10. The larger the amount of gold, worth of item, severity of incident, and how many previous warnings, bans and incidents have occurred, is the set standard for GM's in deciding how to judge the occurance.

True.

[Logless]

Thanks for the clarification, and as far as servers, I figured as much, just didn't explain well. I meant that they used to have multiple servers, and they still do, just now they tend to be in the same battlegroups.

Wasn't sure how to explain it , did that even make sense?

[Monty]

sorry, no screen = no rep

[chompy]

aww crap, my account got a temporary ban for 3 days, this means blizz will keep an eye on me from now on am i correct cus if i am, im screwed i guess

[kons1000]

Nice info! Very usefull

[kiki81]

Info: Most of this is real, but such cases are other on EU realms.

[SmotPoker]

"8. Permanently banned accounts are irretrievable."

Not true, I was permanently banned, and managed to get that same account unbanned.

you can get your account back if you can prove that it is your account and that it was hacked

[elliotthehobo]

When you say 'hand to hand' you mean like /trade right?

[Shank099]

I love it, great info that will make me think twice about some stuff and be careful thanks i love it

[Shank099]

just 1 more excellent info

[Verye]

you can get your account back if you can prove that it is your account and that it was hacked

Did you read my sticky in WoW General?

http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-ge...rd-policy.html

It explains the method in great detail. Of all people to tell that to, don't tell me.

[henhouse]

Good info to know. I am about to try the AH scam in a bit so I hope I choose one that Blizzard doesn't flag or anything. But still, thanks for the warning!

+rep.

[l8flip]

Source? If you tell us a GM told you that, it's a lie.

[Logless]

When you say 'hand to hand' you mean like /trade right?

Yeah.

And l8flip, a GM did tell me, so call me a liar.

[Harza]

nice info
+rep